Coordinated Channel Change in Mesh Networks

• US 20090201851A1
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gong, Xiaohong, Kruys, Johannes Petrus, Raju, Jyoti, Meil, Christopher G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,040,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A coordinated channel change system. In particular implementations, a method includes receiving a prepare-to-change message, wherein the prepare-to-change message indicates instructions to prepare to change channels and includes a designated channel, and forwarding the prepare-to-change message to one or more child nodes. The method also includes receiving a ready-to-change message from the one or more child nodes, and transmitting a change-to-channel message to the one or more child nodes, wherein the change-to-channel message indicates instructions to switch to the designated channel. The method also includes receiving an acknowledgement message from the one or more child nodes, and changing to the designated channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a prepare-to-change message, wherein the prepare-to-change message indicates instructions to prepare to change channels and includes a designated channel;

forwarding the prepare-to-change message to one or more child nodes;

receiving a ready-to-change message from the one or more child nodes;

transmitting a change-to-channel message to the one or more child nodes, wherein the change-to-channel message indicates instructions to switch to the designated channel;

receiving an acknowledgement message from the one or more child nodes; and

changing to the designated channel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if there is successful connectivity with the one or more child nodes; and

if there is successful connectivity, transmitting a ready-to-change message to a parent node.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a change-to-channel message from the parent node, wherein the change-to-channel message indicates instructions to switch to the designated channel;

transmitting a response to the parent node; and

changing to the designated channel.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining if the parent node has responded to a probe; and

if the parent node has not responded to the probe, initiating a failure recovery process.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the failure recover process comprises performing a neighbor scan to find a parent.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting an event and transmitting an event notification to a root node.

7. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

one or more wireless network interfaces; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to cause the one or more processors to;

receive a prepare-to-change message, wherein the prepare-to-change message indicates instructions to prepare to change channels and includes a designated channel;

forward the prepare-to-change message to one or more child nodes;

receive a ready-to-change message from the one or more child nodes;

transmit a change-to-channel message to the one or more child nodes, wherein the change-to-channel message indicates instructions to switch to the designated channel;

receive an acknowledgement message from the one or more child nodes; and

change to the designated channel.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to:

determine if there is successful connectivity with the one or more child nodes; and

if there is successful connectivity, transmit a ready-to-change message to a parent node.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to:

receive a change-to-channel message from the parent node, wherein the change-to-channel message indicates instructions to switch to the designated channel;

transmit a response to the parent node; and

change to the designated channel.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to:

determine if the parent node has responded to a probe; and

if the parent node has not responded to the probe, initiate a failure recovery process.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the failure recover process comprises performing a neighbor scan to find a parent.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to detect an event and transmitting an event notification to a root node.

13. A method comprising:

receiving a channel change message from a parent node;

transmitting the change message to one or more child nodes a plurality of times; and

switching to the designated channel.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising entering a failure recovery mode when a loss of connectivity to a parent is detected.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the failure recover mode comprises performing a neighbor scan to find a parent.

16. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

receive a channel change message from a parent node;

transmit the change message to one or more child nodes a plurality of times; and

switch to the designated channel.

17. The logic of claim 16 further comprising entering a failure recovery mode when a loss of connectivity to a parent is detected.

18. The logic of claim 17 wherein the failure recover mode comprises performing a neighbor scan to find a parent.

19. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

one or more wireless network interfaces; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to cause the one or more processors to;

receive a channel change message from a parent node;

transmit the change message to one or more child nodes a plurality of times; and

switch to the designated channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the logic is further operable to cause the one or more processors to enter a failure recovery mode when a loss of connectivity to a parent is detected.